OAKLAND LOBBIES CONGRESS FOR MORE DREDGING DOLLARS

OAKLAND LOBBIES CONGRESS FOR MORE DREDGING DOLLARS    The Northern California Port of Oakland has started an aggressive lobbying campaign on Capitol Hill to secure additional funding to deepen its navigation channels to more than 50 feet.
   The port received authorization for federal funding for this project in the 1999 Water Resources Development Act, through which it has received partial funding. Oakland, however, still requires Congress to continue to appropriate funds on an annual basis for the next several years until the project is completed in 2006.
   “Unfortunately, this year, while the Army Corps of Engineers requested that $50 million be included in the president’s budget for this project, only $7 million was allocated,” said Tay Yoshitani, executive director for the Port of Oakland. “Therefore, we are faced with convincing Congress to significantly raise the amount through their appropriations process.”
   The port administration has asked the shipping industry to send letters to Bay area representatives in the House and California’s two Democratic Sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein to secure the additional dredging dollars.